Sanders: Omar Isn’t Anti-Semitic But Must Do ‘Better Job’ Speaking To Jews

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders participates in a Fox News Town Hall on April 15, 2019 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Image by Mark Makela/Getty Images

By Marcy Oster April 16, 2019

(JTA) — Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders said that he does not consider Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota to be an anti-Semite, but that she has to do a “better job in speaking to the Jewish community.”

Sanders participated Monday evening in a televised town hall meeting in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, hosted by Fox News Channel.

However, he distanced himself from Omar, who has angered some Jewish leaders and organizations by repeating anti-Semitic tropes, telling meeting moderator Brett Baier when he called Sanders a “staunch supporter” of Omar that “I’ve talked to Ilhan about twice in my life.”

Sanders, like Omar, has been critical of the Israeli government over its treatment of the Palestinians. He said ahead of last week’s national elections in Israel that he hoped that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would lose the election. That did not happen.

“I will do everything in my power, and I hope that every member of Congress will fight not only anti-Semitism, but racism and anti-Muslim activity so that we create a non-discriminatory society,” Sanders said. “But it is not anti-Semitic to be critical of a right wing government in Israel. That is not anti-Semitic.”

The statement was greeted with applause from the participants in the town hall meeting.

Sanders would be the first Jewish president if he garners the Democratic nomination and wins the 2020 election.

On Monday Sanders released 10 years of tax returns, showing that he is a millionaire. He and his wife earned $566,000 last year.

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